mais 3‏ Mon, 23 Nov 2015

Whats up family!,

Man this week was a blur. I've probably already said this a billion times. But its for real. These weeks are flying by. We worked a bunch and it was good to finaly bring someone to church after all this effort. Her name is Rosa and she is 88 years old! ha But she is great. She is the mother of a lady that we have been working with. Really funny people and yeah pretty humble too. But Rosa is great cause she is a little more reliable. First time we asked her to come to church she said no.. Then a week later she said yes and was actually ready to go and kept her word. You can always rely on the older people who still have moral codes and keep their promises. Looks like this next week will be her baptism too. (I know is pretty fast) Should be good though. She has sufered a lot in her life so this should be something that will really help her feel comfort. haha her daughter is still a work in progress. We also found some cool investigators that wern't able to make it to church but should be cool to work with this week. Really seeing the blessings in my life and getting home exagsted everyday. Maybe I will have a thanksgiving this week witrh Maritza but we will have to wait and see. She is a recent convert who lived in USA and London for 6 years of her life so she still carrys on the american traditions. Should be great!

Family, M&D- nooo email down.. haha but thats all good. I will still be on for another 40 min or so. So if you get this in time just shoot over a message. Glad to hear that the sisters are great and that christmas is coming up already in the house. Dave and Deb were in our house? cool cool. Lambsons- Jen I loved the poem. Thought it was sweet. So true about the RedVines though.. Miss it. Keep on keeping on there in the cold. When does school get out for Conway? W&S&B- Love you guys and I hope the house is great. Kodras- Thanksgiving on strike. haha Black Friday.. man.. i still have nightmares of that stuff. Crazy people. Have a good one and I hope the move is over with this week then.. 

Family.. Still havent bought any of you anything.. haha I know its pretty lazy and procrastination on my part but this next week for SURE. Mark my words. Alright? Very good 

#3moreweeks

Amor de coração!

Elder Christensen 

we had time to kill before the churrasco last week so we went into Carajás (brazilian home depot)​

Hey there everyone‏ November 16, 2015 at 6:32

Family, 

Oh my heck this time is just flying. I have never felt so tired. Everyday I get home I just feel dead. But this is good. Gotta work until ya drop right? This week was full of good things and a lot of lessons but we didnt get anyone at church. Less Actives nor investigators. But man yeah its kinda a bummer to not have anyone there but we will work even harder with different people this week. We have a woman named Joseleny that is cool and we gave here a blessing and then visited her later that day and she was tons better. SO now she has a testimony in the power or the priesthood and faith and stuff but now she has to get married.. Lets see if we can help them out in time before I leave. Its a complicated family. Ha We are doing a bunch a FHEs and inviting people who we are working with to go a participate. So that is working and we will continue to do that. 

P-day today was pretty good. Played some soccer at the church. Did I mention to you guys that I live right next to the chapel. So yeah it was pretty good and for lunch we will go to a churrasco (bbq all you can eat meat). For lunch we always just do our own thing and today the money falls on the card so you have to ball out right? Should be good but again we will not have time to buy stuff downtown today. So next week for sure haha. These P-days are growing shorter.. weather here is getting crazy hot. Its so weird to me when you guys say that its cold outside. haha Just burning out here! haha 

Alright family. 

Sorry for the short letter but you know how it is sometimes..

AMOR de CORAÇÃO

​Our car.. haha jk we took this pic in the morning after soccer. haha ​

ELDER CHRISTENSEN

éta nos‏ Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2015

Family!

Man I feel like I say everytime but this whole thing is moving way too fast. So this week was a pretty simple one with a lot of new investigators and working a lot to reactivate these less actives. So it was been realatively good. Sunday was pretty stressful to see that our members arent really doing their part to help out the recent converts and frustrating that members kinda look to the missionaries to do all of the work here. But hey its all good. Just exhausting. Yesterday I went to a Baptist Church in a trade with a lady that went to our church in the morning. It was pretty cool to be the "investigator" and watch what other churchs do to welcome people and especially when the welcome 2 mormon missionaries. haha But i have to say overall it was a good visit. It also happend to be the Pastors birthday.. so we ate cake and mini pizza things.. haha it was a good day to visit! haha We are working a few families that were baptized be a few of my friends here on the mission and so I will start to reactivate them. Maritza speaks 3 languages fluently and she always trys to speake english with me but I am too nervous about it. haha She keeps on trying to destroy my portuguese by making me speak english. Other than all that this next week should be more of the same so lets get to it. P-day today I wont be going to Centro so you guys will still have to wait for all the goods. I think I should be able to get almost all of what you guys want. As far as packing for home. I dont plan on taking a lot of stuff home so there should be a LOT of space.

Alright I am out. Tired and ready for the end I think but I gotta give till I drop. Love you guys. Until next week

Tchau

ELDER CHRISTENSEN

Batizmos for dayzz.‏ Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2015 12:28

Hey Family.

Glad to hear all about the Halloween festivitys and all the good stories. My week was good and thankgoodness it was filled more with treats than tricks! haha So new area new companion. It has been good and I know that I am learning and growing a lot more than if I had just stayed comfortable in Geisel. So yep. My companions name is Elder Thomas Santos and he is from São Paulo. Pretty funny kid and its fun to work with him and see things through his eyes. I just have to remember that sometimes he really just doesnt know what to do. Have to guide him more than I expect sometimes. Its been great thou. This last friday we had to pleasure to watch and participate in the Baptism of Julia! It was awesome and the whole family was there. I was asked to do the Baptism and everything went by smoothly. I hope that her sister Ana keeps studying with the other Elders but it looks like she already felt a little attacked and shocked about the Baptism that the other missionaries tryed to mark with her...I know problem with brazil. But its all good. I told her to keep chill and just keep visiting the church and taking the discussions. Love that family. So then this sunday we also had a baptism in my area. It was all pretty much set up and should have happened last week but this week was better for the family so I got to help out as well. Arthur is the name of the young man and his Older brother was the one who baptized him. He reactivated himself these past few weeks with the other misisonaries and then recieved the priesthood this sunday and everthing worked out great to be able to baptize his brother. I think its a pretty neat story and fact that the older brother did the baptism should have a more lasting effect I think. Great family as well. We will keep working with them and leave him firm and strong in the gospel.

Funny story of the week that actually happend this morning. Was that we all went to play some soccer and then after to a backery to drink some Coke. We were chillen next to some bar side make shift sketch table cause all the other tabels were taken. I was sitting there talking to the new american missionary in English cause he just got here and I was helping him feel more comfortable when he both sit down on the ledge of this sketch (fake marble) counter top. Gave it 5 seconds before everything broke... haha So we both go tumbling down and everyone in the Bakery stops and is just looking at us... I was already laughing it out but the people there were pretty upset. haha So bottem line we will talk it out with the people cause the whole thing wasnt our fault. Could have happend to anyone so Im glad it was us and not some poor kid just playing on the side. haha Funny as heck though... 

Christmas is your call. Some new clothes would be cool but same size I think. I need to amp up my skinny jean game when I get back. Brazil has raised the bar.. hhaha jkChristmas will be a blast I am amped. Next week I will go Downtown and try to buy abunch of stuff for you guys. I think I got a rough sketch of wat to buy you guys. ITs the most wonderful time of the year!

Tchauuuuu Amor

ELDER CHRISTENSEN

ups and downs‏ Date: October 26, 2015 at 6:50

Hey there family.

So yeah this week was a pretty great week. Good to finish the transfer with such an awesome find and great family. Julia went to church again and its pretty much undoubtable that she will be baptized someday this week. The only reason that she didnt get baptized on Sunday was that her sister Ana (who also is super elect and ready to follow her sister) Has a pretty messed up foot and needed to go to the hospital sunday morning and couldnt make it to support and be there alongside. So timing just didnt match up. She is so great though and I got really close to that family. The only down side is that President in all of his wisdom, decided to transfer me... for my last transfer on the mission. So yep, Ramazotti stayed and so did some other missionary in the house with a lot of time there both stayed and I, who just got there this last transfer... was trasnfered out. So yeah Im just trying to keep a smile on. Not gonna lie it will be hard to have to leave the area but Im pretty close still and I think I will be able to make it to the Baptism on Julia on Friday night. Also crazy story before I move on to the next topic, was that all day Saturday, I was in the Hospital with Ramazotti. 12 Hours there... haha he had a monster high blood pressure and a pretty bad head ache so they didnt let him leave and had to do a bunch of tests. So Just a fun fact. I was thinkin about you that day nano.. Hospital at the same time right? close at least. But yeah Ramazotti is good to go and should have much problems there. 

So right now I am in Rangel with a new companion from São Paulo. He just started his mission 5 weeks ago so I will finnish his training right now. Should be interesting and we already know eachother from being in the same district. It will be a good way for me to finnish my mission. Training.. Gotta keep on my A game to help this kid out. Good ward it looks like. Just us 2 in the ward but we live right next to the chapel with another companionship. So just brazilians and one Peru in house. Looks like I will come home without any english practice. haha But seriously it should be a great learning experience and for sure Heavenly Father has a plan in all this. He knows where he wants his misisonaries and when he wants them there. Feels so werid to be on my last transfer already.....crazy how fast time passes.

Family, First OFF NANO CONGRATS!! Thats awesome! So happy for you guys and Reese is a keeper for sure. Just because he is more Christensen as well... haha Mom&Dad- Mom way to be a champ and arrive just on time. Glad you like your new calling and I hope you enjoy your week there taking care of Nano. Dad, your a spritual stud. Way to find the keys. haha Work hard and keep ridding that bike. Your the man. Lambsons! Halloween already? Thats awesome! Like the ideas. Jen way to help out but that is a bummer that you missed seeing Reese. Have a great week of Tricks and Treats! Love you guys. W&S&B- Wyoming! Thats so sick! Glad you made it there and that the hospital isnt too sketch. Keep working hard bro and for sure we are going ice fishing/snow mobiling when I get there. Kodras!- NANO YOUR NOT PREGNANT ANYMORE! good feeling? haha glad all went well and it appears that everything was a lot easier than when Maggs came. Love you kiddos and I hope the transition back home goes well.

Alright so these past weeks I must admit. I havent bought anyone anything.. Please send me a shopping list of everything that everyone would like and I will try my best near the end to get all of it. Pictures will come next week then...

LOVE YOU ALL

Com amor da coração

Tchauuuu

ELDER CHRISTENSEN

Baptisms Date: Mon, 19 Oct 2015

Hey family!,

So this week was pretty great. Just like the subject suggests, we had 2 baptisms this weekend. Nyra and Nielyda! One is the daughter of Sandro (who I am sure you guys have already heard about and have seen in the pics i have sent) and the other is his neice. They have been coming to church for quite sometime already and they already recieved basically all the lessons when I got here. Super awesome people. The reason the two have been held up so long on the baptisms was that the moms of each of them both thought they were too young and didnt really know what they were doing.. (Nyra- 11 and Nielyda with 9) but then the hour came when we really were trying to help them out that the mom sat down in front of the 9 yr old and asked her all these questions of why? and What does it really mean? and Nielyda just layed it down! She is so smart and she just bore her own testimony to her mom and convinced her that it was something that God needed her to do. Spirit was super strong! Love that in the church, a childs knowledge can confound the old and so called wise. Great experience and it was a really special week for Sando.

In other news about the work. We also found a lady named Julia while we were looking for a less active member. She is so open and loves us. She has two little ones and is just progressing super fast. She loved church and she really is studying and listening. It was an awesome find and 100% guided by the spirit. Hopefully she will continue to progress and we can talk to the husband this week two to see if she will accept a date for Baptism as well. I am SO HAPPY. I know that there are a lot of things that are still blowing up and going wrong around me and whatever small drama that the mission creates sometimes. But It hit me yesterday in church! I am just so naturally and comfortably happy. Gotta preach till I drop then.

This next week will also be the last week of this transfer.. I know its all jacked up. But this transfer ends and the last transfer of my mission will be 7 weeks as opposed to 6. (still get home at the same time and everything)  So look forward to Transfer news and what happens here in Geisel and what it will look like in the end for me. I would be surprised if I left for sure but I would also be surprised if the other Elders in house stayed. SO something has got to change. Should be an interesting week!

Family- M&D- House looks great! Good work people. I finnished reading Emails and I was like.. well.. looks like mom didnt want to write then.  Almost 2 years straight but looks like she just got tired of writting..ha (I got your email though.. now worries) Dad your a stud. The thought of 3 Hours on the bike makes me sick. Lambsons- Vacation! Happy B-Day JEN!!! whoot whoot! Para Bems então! Glad you are fillin your role as our second mom and taking care of nano. keep it up! W&S&B- Enjoy the Hotel for the next few weeks then! haha Hope all goes well with the transition. Kodras- NANO! Hang in there one more week! You can do it girl! Dig deep.. haha Enjoyed the sports update Anton but I am pretty sure if you say anything about sports during the labor, my sister will ring your throut.. haha 

Family, I love you but I dont miss you too much.

Lets get too it. 7 (8 but lets be honest the last one will be almost nothing) more emails until home!

Fica firme e forte! Até próximo gente!

Tchauuuu

Elder Christensen

ps the leg picture is a story... super funny. Just wait till after the mission..

Oh hey and the fireside stuff if whatever.. anytime anyplace I will be there.. dont know how many good pictures of stories I have but I will do whatever...

Happy Birthday everyone!‏ Date: October 12, 2015 at 8:13

Hey there people! 

What's up! I am 21? Craaazy talk. Man Well this week pretty much flew by for me! So yeah it started off pretty normal and we have been working a ton. Then about friday night, all the parties just went a-wall. We had chinese food with a part member family that is dope. Then we ate 2 more cakes on the day of my Birthday with some family and then that night we all went over to Sandros place and ate Açaí for dayzz..IT was a sick birthday and I am so gratefull for all these wonderful people in the ward. Man there are some good eggs over here. Sunday we brought a lady to church but is was the church in the afternoon and we actually found her on my birthday. I was a really quick, "Hey do you live here? Yeah awesome. Want to go to church tomorrow? - Sure... - Alright then." haha So yeah we went to the other ward that has there church in the afternoon. She is a really great lady and super nice. The original desire to visit was just to see how it was like but I really think she enjoyed it and maybe she has more of a purpose to take what we will teach more seriously now. But yep it was good. Also on sunday, I gave a talk that the bishop had told me about like 3 weeks ago when I first got here but never reminded me of. The church is being renevated and so the whole chapel is reduced to bricks and dust on the ground and no pulpit and no sound system. Also nobody wanted to use the fans cause everyone thought that they would die if the turned on the fans, and therefor the  lights had to be turned off because aparrently the light and energy needed will make it hotter... yeah.. but hey at least there isnt such a thing as glueten free bread here... haha (jk people these are all jokes. dont be offended) The catch fraze for the week was "The church is still true". SO yeah anyways It was a good talk I think. People laughed at my jokes.. I pretty much use the same material every talk I have to give so it was good. Talked about the Conference talk from april about the Music and Dancing. Got to have both. (aka Spirit and the funcions of the church) it was good. Then yeah Idk it was overall a great week and time is really just flying by. 

Family- Mom&Dad!- Merry Christmas! haha put West to work then and hope it looks good in the end! Love you guys and stay strong in the callings. You may not relize it from your angle but taking it from mine.. I would kill for just one Person that fulfilled their calling well.. So be the best Counciler or whatever comes and the lord will see it. Thats all that matters in the end. Lambsons! Happy Birthday Ellese! I remember that when you were born, you almost shared a spot with Simba on the Lion King Stage! haha Love ya Jen. Have a great visit helping out nano. W&S&B- hey there moving people! Thats awesome you guys are with the rents! On to the next experience now! Just in time for the Snow Tornados! haha Hope the trip is a success!  Go broncos.. or something like that. Kodras! - Hey the light is at the end of the tunnel right! Thats awsome that He is coming already! 2 Kodra Kids equils Krazy. Love you guys and hang in there nano! Thanks for the countdown... haha Yeah and what is this mom. Take down the flight plan! haha Crazy people..I will get home and it will be cool for like 1 day. Then you will all want me gone again... haha 

But hey dont worry about me. Im just having the time of my life and I am more full of energy than ever before. I love my mission. Also I studied ALMA 18:34 as my Ponderizer scripture this week. Super humble guy and just wanted to serve the lord. Good scripture. Also do you know the end of the stroy about Jonah and the Whale! haha super good and reminds us that we need to stay humble and love all people.

Alright well stay frosty there my people! Até próxima semana então meu queridos!

Tchãooooo

ELDER CHRISTENSEN

Photos

crazy dayzz Date: Mon, 5 Oct 2015

Hey Family!,

Hope this letter finds you well and I hope you all enjoyed conference weekend! So yeah working this week was pretty great. We have been making a lot of contacts and trying to find people to get to church and all the good stuff but it was all kinda confusing with this week being conference weekend and that we would have to go to church in another neighberhood so it was kinda hard to really get people there. But we had a cool experience with a lady sitting down in the park. We were challenged find someone and mark their baptism in the same contact (with only 30 to find this person) this week by our ZL and yeah normally its kinda shallow but anyways we are hunting people down and in the last minute we decided to talk to this lady sitting down in the park. So we start to talk about baptism and the purpose of it and she started to feel the spirit and then she started to cry. But yeah she accepted a Baptism Date for 2 weeks in the future. It most likely wont happen cause she didnt go to conference. But she also has daughters that for sure would be blessed by the gospel so we will work with her this week. 

Alright well yeah Conference was sick. Kinda crazy and in typical fashon, things here in Brazil have a habit of not working properly so we listened to the conference instead of watching it... (for the first session at least) then after that we watched a little. THe sound sistem was super lame and didnt really work to hear anything. So sunday I got tired of all the garbage and asked for the keys to the secretary room and watch in english with the other american that wasnt understanding a thing.. so yeah Sunday was a lot better. BUT I LOVED ALL THE TALKS! dang the church is true. E. Holland #shoutOUTtoTHEmoms! Love you mom. All the talks were really good. Loved the talk from Russel M Nelson as well. The 3 new apostles are perfect. I am like a crazy groupy of the 70 and the apostles since the start of my misson so is it crazy to say I already new everything about them before they got called? haha No but I am really exited to see what they will bring to the Quorme. Pres. Monson was for sure weak but he is my hero. Love that man.

I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH!

keep in there and read the talks again! I will for sure and Im so down for the scripture a day challange! Vamos ser PONDERIZERS! haha

love ya guys, tchau até próxima semana então.

ELDER CHRISTENSEN

Tá doido muleque Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2015

Family,

What a week. So many things new and exciting. good and bad. But I have quite the story for you guys this week so lets get to it. Fist off the Area is super good. The chapel is actually close to the area and so the probabiliy of bringing peopleto church is good. But just from what I have seen as of recently... the ward is a little weak. The leadership is a little be squewed and I dont really know how to explain it. We have some great people though. Super good people here. So its been fun to get used to and Elder Ramazotti is still showing me around the area. We met a hilarious old lady that went to church with us this week and its a little complicated with General Conference this week so Baptizem is a little hard to throw down this week but we will try to keep teaching here and keeping the Faith that the spirit will keep working there. She is pretty funny. We talked about getting here a car to take her to church and she said "What is this? Jesus walked everywhere. He didnt have cars of busses.. I will walk if I need to! haha" Super funny lady. Alright so time for the story of your life time. Craziest story of my mission So I will try to do it justice.

Alright so last night we have a few plans fall through and so we decided to head to the house of a Recent Convert a little early. He lives in a appartment complex and we go there a lot. But this particular night when we arrived there were a bunch of people hanging around this entrance to his building in the stareway. SO some people are like "Oh good the Holy Men arrived." And the mentioned us to enter and there is this Middle Aged lady laying on the ground moving around and it appeared to me at first that she had fallen or was having a segur of something like that. So we drop everything and run over to assist and we find out that she is "Possesed with an evil spirit and our RecentConvert (RC) is on the floor holding her down with another guy. So we kneel down to help out and understand the situation. Everyone is throwing Holy Water on her and praying. One crazy guy was putting a cross necklass to her forehead every 5 seconds to try and do something... just straight up madness. Elder Ramazotti doesnt know what to do and I pretty much had the same face and so Elder Ramazotti starts to cast out the demond and whatnot. Using the preisthood and stuff like that. I tell RC to go and get his oil for blessings and he runs into his house and gets it. (He was just made an elder like 2 weeks ago) and we go ahead and give her a blessing "try to give a blessing" and nothing is really working.. Super sketch but at the same time I wasnt really picking up a demond vibe and neither was Ramazotti. So we give her some space and she keeps on saying schetch things like "You called me here and now I've come!" and "Take me to the beach" Stuff super weird and meanwhile the other missionaries arrive and nobody has any ideas of what to do. But the entire time all of us were just super confused. Poor elder Howell (other american who doesnt really speak english yet) had no idea what was going on. So i kept trying to explain everything in english. aghh it was just a mess of crazy dubstep exercisim brazilian religion madness! haha So the family ends up throwing her in the car and takes her to the beach and meanwhile we all just think about the madness and try to analize the situation, laughing about the bizarrity of it all. And we just eat with RC and wait it out. When she returned she was all bubbly and thanked us and RC and blah blah blah.. just totally different and her husband explained some more details but still its all just super sketch and so who really knows what happend. But it was pretty funny to talk about it with RC and afterwords... haha ah man You guys will just have to hear the story from me in person on Dec. 17th!!

So yeah it was great. Elder Howell is doing great. Just strugglin with the same stuff that I passed thru. So I feel like I am helping out there too. Ramazotti has less time than me and the only person in our zone older than me is in our distric and he is a stud. So yeah its cool to not always talk about home and the same stuff that i talked about with Elder Moura or the other really old district (old in mission time) haha SO I am happy.

Family- Mom, keep it up . your work is appriciated. Hope you are stoked with the news. Dad, loved the story. Super funny. Lambson clan- Thats awesome conway! Muito bom cara! Love you guys and hope you are all stoked to be homeowners! Exciting. W&S&B- Pics! Brooklyn is aaaDORB! haha Love you guys and hope the move goes well for Wy. When is it again? Kodras- BAYBAY thats awesome. Hang in there nan. Maggs is being forced to grow up super fast huh.. ? haha Keep the faith and keep giving those Football details coming Anton! Cougs got crushed.

So this next week will be CONFERENCE! Yeah 3 new apostles of the LORD! IT will be so awesome. My perdictions are: Elder Christensen (#representTHEname) Elder Clayton (#Stud) and Elder Godoy (#BrazilinTHEhouse) but let me know what you guys are predicting. It will be so great I am sooo overwhelmingly pumped.

Alright well this letter almost took all my energy today...

I love you all so dang much! DEC 17 5:00. BE there or BE square! #TrunkedOutOfMyMindNow... #JK #MissionsAreTheBest

Tchau

Amor de Coração

ELDER CHRISTENSEN

Geizel! Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2015

What  is up family!

Hey there so yep Transfers came and went! I got moved out of Bodogongó and Campina Grande and now I am in João Pessoa again! Ha Im in an area named Geizel and is should be pretty chill! I got here this morning just before lunch and so far its been great! I am with a new comp too. His name is Elder Ramazotti and he is from Paraná. Southern Brazil and its been pretty great so far. Seems like it should be an alright transfer! Also the other missionaries that we live with, 1 is from São Paulo and the other is an Americano with only 6 months on the mission! He is doing good I hear and I am really just stoked for 2 reasons. American Culture again and the chance to help a brother out in the lang or whatever. I love new missionaries, they are awesome. So yep, Im a little sad to leave my buddy Paiva and to have watched Elder Moura end his mission but Its all part of the circle of life! haha Bodocongó was alright and I will for sure miss those cooler nights. ALSO Fransica, the miracle that I told you guys about last week came again and her grandson that wasn't baptized yet got BAPTIZED! ha He lives in the other area of the other missionaries of the ward and that whole family played a part in the miracle but yeah It was really cool to see all the hard work get payed off with a neat blessing. Happy for that family and I will send you guys photos later. What else what else. For now I am just stoked to finally be in my last area it looks like. Should be fun the have a fresh start and hopfully sweat a few pounds off. HAHA

ALSO... Flight plan didnt come this week. Next week for sure though. HA mom I promise you. If I had it I would let you know already. hahaha  Just have too wait for next week! 

Alright well I love you all! Looking forward to tell ya all the details of my new area next week! Send thoughts of Cold Weather my way! 12 more weeks! 

Lhes Amo Tchauuuuuuuuuu

ELDER CHRISTENSEN

aí aí‏ Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2015 10:30

Hey there family.

So this past week worked me pretty hard. In all aspects of the word WORK. haha Started off the week with an interview with president that maybe doesnt understand that sometimes God chooses not to bless his missionaries in numbers. Other people still have their agency and I cannot control that. BUT it was alright and it gave me a chance to say what I have been wanting to say if not hearing what I wanted to hear. So anyways we also worked really hard this week trying to get some people going we recieved huge miracles and blessings but we also had a really rough time finding anyone that lasted. So who knows what to really say but I am so glad for everything I learned this week and if anything counts, I know that Heavenly Father knows the situation and know what he wants from me. We had a huge miracle with a less active that just happend to be passing by an area that we rarely cross! She asked us if we knew when the Bus would pass to go to church. Turns out that she is a member if 10 years or so and has been inactive for 9. He daughter was super active for like 5 years and then some stuff happend in their temple marrage and she stopped coming. So anyways they have been feeling the desire to come to church and then one day she decided to leave and walk her dog and she ran into us. So yep Fransisca and her daughter went to church yesterday and I think that the other elders in the area will help her son (13 yrs old) get baptized here next week! So yeah it was cool to see all this happen and we are for sure gonna visit the mom and try to get her active again. So rough week but mircals up the wazoo! WE also met a lady that refered us to her daughter that we had found the other day but forgotten and she was really interested in talking to us. But lets see tomorrow if its for real or not.

Alright well this should be the last week of the transfer so.. Im hoping to get a change of something.. but lets see. 

Love you all and keep on praying for me! I can feel it for sure! 

Amor 

Tchau 

ELDER CHRISTENSEN

Feliz Independência!! September 7, 2015 at 7:12:40

Hey there family!,

So today is Independence day in Brasil! Thankfully the laneHouse is open for us to get on the internet but with all the holidays and days off here its pretty much a normal day here. Ha this past week was good and we learned a lot about our ability to perservere and stick to it even though our people fall threw and things turn lame on us. We had the chance to find a few more people and one family in particular that should be fun to work with. They love to ask questions and it seems like they are actually excited to talk to us and keep commitments that we leave with them. We also met a great less active guy that fell off the records and hasnt recieved an invite in a few years. His name is Abilio and we was trying to learn guitar when we knocked on the door. So we taught him a few cords and then shared a lesson and envited him and his wife to church, and THEY ACTUALLY CAME! haha sorry its jsut been a while since someone that we found actually went to church! But yeah he is super cool and actually remembered a lot of people. But the problem is that his wife is super Assembly of God and liked the visit but doesnt want to continue to learn about the church. So naturally Abilio doesnt either. But hey who knows what the Holy Ghost can do there. We will continure work with them too. But yep the plan for this week is to continue working and trying to bring more people to church! Its been fun to work hard and dig deep these transfers. I think that Brazil has this steriotype that Baptisms and Converts come easy but pretty much in my mission so far I am only finding the contrary. haha But I love it this way. You have a chance to find the blessings and miracles in other forms and ways. 

This past Wednesday we had a zonetraining as well so I actually recieved my Package a month early!! I would love to tell you that I waited but I am also living with Elder Moura, who is about to end his mission here next week or so, SO i had to open it and share the candy with him. You know how it is... haha But thanks so much mom! You are awesome and I loved everything. Even the RG3 jersey! haha I dont even know if he is still playing.. BUT again thanks so much mom!

Alright well its back to the streets my people! Keep reading the scritpures! I am studying the Old testemant now a days and Im learning a lot! So maybe I was a little bit of a slacker or whatever before my mission but I read the story of Moses and the battle that they had with that one guy and he had to keep his hands in the air in order for them to win... (never heard of this story????) haha and the only thing that kept running in my head was #(have to have the #) IThrowMyHandsUpInTheAirSomeTimes singin- AAaaaa ooooo Baby lets gooo! haha Just the thought for you guys today!

AMOR 

Tchau 
ELDER CHRISTENSEN

e aí‏ Mon, 31 Aug 2015 11:3

Family,

What is up you people! This week for me was pretty good and we worked hard but unfortunatly nothing is giving as of yet. We unfortunatly didnt bring anyone new to church and no real big family or anybody to work with. But worry not! We are just gonna get back to the grind this week and stick to it. Gotta keep the faith. This week we also had a Saturday Night game night and had some recent converts there and we played a few games. It was alright. First one that we as missionaries organized to for sure it was a little weak. This next Saturday will be better and we expect to get this idea started that ever week we will do something like this and an effort to convince people to bring their friends and more people to church. But other than all this I bought a watch today! That I am pretty sure was robbed.. but its all good cause it was only 18 reais haha! I got a discount because the first 2 I chose were both broken already so they took 2 reais off for me! haha

I love you guys and sorry for the lame short email. Not too many details today,

But keep readying and studying the scriptures! I am really begining to enjoy my studies and I can usually find some sweet new stuff every day! (Ether 6:5-8 the same wind that created the storm also blew the jaridiets to the promised land #WINDfortheWINGS #WhatDoesntKillYouMakesYouStronger )

LOVE YOU GUYS SOOO MUCH!

Até mais então!

ELDER CHRISTENSEN



from the activity saturday

Date: Mon, 24 Aug 2015

Hey there everyone.

So this week was a pretty good week you could say. Had a fun time working the the young men in the ward and getting them some experience before the start to think about their missions. We took two of them this week and split up on the street. One group knocking doors or one side and the other on the other. It was pretty typical work for me and Paiva full of rejections and excusses and whatnot. But the young men really enjoyed it. Igor said "It was really nerve racking at first but then no matter what you get this really good feeling about what your doing. No matter the outcome!" haha Gotta hand it to them, I would have never thought the same way about leaving with the missionaries before my mission! haha But they a really intune to the spirit of it, which made it awesome. Guess Elder Paiva and I need to shake off the "Used to it" feeling and get excited again. haha But really all is well. We also had another FHE and the sister invited all her neighbors and it should be fun to see what will happen to the references. The message we left was really powerful and it was an awesome way to spread the gospel in a less obvious way. But all in all nobody went to church this sunday. We didnt have any investigators there i should say but hey this week we just got to work a little bit harder. As far as André, our family that started off really strong, they are pretty starting to fall a lot so lets see. 

IN OTHER NEWS! David and Allison are Sealed!!!! Im so happy! Oh my heck I am so happy for them! I love that family so much and I know just how hard they have had to work for this in their lives. David is such a stud! I hope you saw the pictures! He was rocking that Celestial Smile already! I love this gospel! Church is so true! I know that they will continue to grow leaps and bonds especially as they go often and really learn about the covenents in the temple! How do I express how stoked I am in an Email!!??

Family-  just fyi they will for sure let me know when the time is right. Nobody in the office speaks english. And if everything makes sense.. Like It should and has for everyone else that has ended their missions here before I should be gettting home at the end of that transfer cycle. This means that I should be getting home the week before Christmas. Most likely the 18 of december... But above all I should be getting my flight plan here in 4 or 5 weeks it looks like. So I know... But you just gotta hold on tight for me mom. 

Maggs is growing like a week. Brooklyn too! Oh my stars.. Every 4 5 6 month year old I see I just think about you guys.

Alright well I really need to bounce.

I will talk to you guys in another week then. ha Chão gente! (haha dad with the portuguese...loved it)

ELDER CHRISTENSEN

Fishy Days Mon, 17 Aug 2015 12:05

Hey Family,

Its gettin hot again! (A main street work a lot)

So this week was a pretty good one. Started off pretty normal and then we had a Family HomeEvening that was a killer and our Investigator couple liked it a lot. They still need to get married and that probably wont happen for a while (#feetDraggers4DAYZ) but they are super excited for the next activity that we throw in the house of a member. Then later in the week we slowly watched all of the people that we originally had hope for start to lie and fall and crumble in our hands.. haha André is awesome but there is something there that he isn't telling us. He was home this weekend and didn't once talk to us or call or let us know. SO yeah idk how to feel about it. Last time we talked we marked his baptism for next sunday but I'm hoping all this weirdness is just because of being buisy and not something else. Elder Paiva and I feel like we just have to start all over. Other than this couple I just told you about that went to the FHE. We dont really have much people going to church. SO yeah that will be the focus this week. They are out there for sure I just gotta find them. 

So yeah tomorrow we are having a Zone Conference and it should be cool. I should see Elder Talbot (MTC comp) again and maybe get a letter from my loved ones in Washington (Elder Family) so Thats what I am looking forward to the most. I dont think the package will get there in time haha but Im still super stoked for it.

Family- Mom&Dad- First mom. THATS SO SICK! I am overwhelmingly proud that you are going out with the Sisters and putting everyone on date for Baptism! Dont you just love the spirit of missionary work! Congrats! That baptism should be so awesome. Way to go. Pops. Not gonna lie 3.5 hours on the bike sounds awful. But manly for sure. Proud of ya and I hope the training goes well. I forgot to mention that Fathers day was here 2 Sundays ago. LOVE YOU DAD. I cant wait till I reach your level of awesome and need to sleep with 5 pillows and an electric blanket at night! jk jk But seriously I love ya Dad. Lambsons- CONWAY! First day of school! Thats sooo crazy! Can i say that I got a little teared up?! Your all grown up kiddo! Love you guys and I hope you guys get used to one less kid in the house. Britton, your a stud. Remember when that 6 yr old Black kid beat you on that 5k we ran! haha jk I know you get mad. Keep it up bro. W&S&B- Hey I forgot to give you props on your marithon goal! BRO I would be right there running with you but I have this overwhelming fear that if I were to run for than a mile right now my heart would give out. haha Im So FRAGILE! Keep working hard and I hope all works out for the best. Kodras!- You guys are great. Love the stories and that Magster is getting close to potty trained. Keep the faith while the other is on his way! Keep on that school grind Anton. love

 Elder Wilson haha 

Alright you guys are great. I read Romans 13:12 today and got all pumped up to do some good today. Armour of Light! Let others see it.

Chão meus amados! Até próximo Segunda-Feria visse!

ELDER CHRISTENSEN

Sunsets here.. never get tired of that. 

transfers came and went‏ Date: Mon, 10 Aug 2015 10:26

Hey!

So transfers came last night and I stayed with Elder Paiva in Bodocongó! This means that will have more time to work with André and eventually watch his baptism. He really is a great guy but man this whole work thing is getting crazy. He was called back for another 2 weeks of work so this means that he wasn't at church again and wont be back until the 16th or something. The way he talks about baptism and the church I dont really have much doubts but idk someting is fishy about seeing his car parked outside his house Sunday night.. I trust the guy but Elder Paiva is saying that he is picking up some weird vibe there. But lets see there. This week was good i guess but I had a pretty gnarley cold and fever thing Wed.-Friday so it kinda sucked to have to work like that. Its not worth going to the Hospital just to get an excuse to stay home and do nothing. Better to serve the lord, trying not to make others sick in the process! haha We found a family of 3 this week (Mother, Daughter, Son) and there are living in some of the most humble circumstances I have seen yet. First lesson was by candel light cause they dont have money to pay Electricty. But super happy and nice people. Again they have some things to work past and they wern't at church as well because of some father excusse thing but lets see what happens with them! Other than all this there will be a new elder living the house with us. The other companionship got split up and one of them is training this week. Could be another brazilian but I am rooting for an American. Its possible that it could be as well cause President usaully puts the americans in houses with other americans that can help with the lang and Elder Paiva speaks good english as well. But lets see. I just need a break from the intense 3 brazilian onslought of last transfer. Whole nother level of conversation skills that I dont have and a few memebers couldnt get there minds around why I couldnt speak portuguese as well as them.. haha but all is well

FUNNY story from this week that is a little irreverant but its worth it. So if you dont already know, the idea of "CHURCH" or realigion is a little skewed in Brazil. The Assembly of Gods and Universal Yell and Scream miracle churchs here are all the rage and so unfortunatly a lot of people (recent converts) bring a lot of this culture with them into the LDS church. SO we were in church the other day and one sister in particular (little crazy) asks me and elder paiva for a blessing. So we grab another member to come with us just because and so go into a seperat room to give the blessing. She starts off by saying that she has been feeling sick ever since she saw a possesed cat in the road the other day, some pain in her chest. (First alarm) Then I give the first with the oil and everything. Then she tells elder Paiva so not let her fall...? right? weird (second alarm) Then the member gets up there and we are helping with the blessing and in the middle of the prayer she starts to shake and then jumps up out of the chair and starts to dance around in the room. All of us stopped and looked at eachother and thought.. what the heck? haha Then we replaced our hands and finnished the blessing. We asked her if she was feeling alright and then the member had to leave the room to stop from laughing... IT WAS THE STANGEST BLESSING OF MY LIFE.. haha so yeah I thought you guys would like that story. Its unfortunate but some people feel like every blessing from god needs to be a meraculus healing of demond expulsion.. haha 

Last thought. Read 1 Peter 2:21-25 ITs so awesome. we all all called to follow the savior. Indepentant of trails or hardships, follow him because he knows the way through it all. He went there for all of us. Keep that in mind this week!

I LOVE ALL OF YOU PEOPLE

Chãozinho

ELDER CHRISTENSEN

Dreams‏ Date: Mon, 3 Aug 2015 11:59

Hey there everyone!

So this week was a pretty great week I guess! Its been kinda hard to get things going here and I dont understand entirely why.. haha But will all trails come belssings and we just have to look for them. This past week we couldnt get anything going for us. We have a few people that like to pretend they are progressing but then back out on sunday and nothing else past that. SO yeah its been kinda frustrating.. BUT today we had a sweet experience that I want to share with you guys and It will explain a little bit why this email is later than usual. So this morning we are prepping to go out and pay the bill and buy food and stuff when André calls us on the phone and asks us to come over. (He has been traveling in and out of João Pessoa recently because his wife, Marcelene has been feeling sick and has a werid tumor thing in her back the pretty much leaves them bed ridden) So we go over because he literally has no money to get back to JP and work. So go over to talk to him and he tells us about a dream that he had last night; Starts off with a rain storm and he is trying to call out to his neighbor and tell him that he needs a prayer in his house but the neighbor isnt home so he decides to look up the street and he sees US (Me and Elder Paiva) at the top of his road and so he calls us over to give a prayer in his home. End of what he told us about the dream. So he calls us and we go over and blaw blaw blaw we talk about the Money he needs and we give him the 100 reais he needs and then talk to him about preisthood bleassings for Marcelene and all that. So enter her room and give the blessing and when its all over I look over to Andre and he is crying. He told us that in his dream we gave a prayer exactly like we gave the blessing. With our hands on her head and everything. He said it was exactly like he had dreamed! HOW COOL RIGHT! haha Church is true. He thanks us and we left to go buy or stuff and now I am here writing you guys. I love the experencies that this mission is giving me. I know that god looks out for us in many ways and talks to us in many forms. Keep your faith strong! Andre should go back to work this week but maybe if things work out we can baptize him this next Sunday. Keep that family in your prayers please! 

Moms questions; I study preach my gospel all the time. Only in Port right now. Read it. Its inspired for sure folks. Yeah P-day we go shopping for all the snacks we need to get by when we return to the house at night. Today I payed the house bill and Andre which means I need to live off of 20 reais until the next money drop haha! Should be fine. Laundry is done with a washing mechine... doesnt get too clean but it works for mission life. People here usually work with construction and stuff like that. Lots of new houses going up around the outer edge of town so yeah this work is most comon. The church members in specific are pretty sucessful buisness owners or engineers (RMs). Mission is pretty closed off as far as president talking to us. Every month we have meetings with our Zone and every other transfer should be interviews with president and a Muli-Zone conference.. but I dont think another one will happen until Sep.. lets see though.. and Sisters are basically serving another mission. We arnt allowed to have them in our district or zone meetings soo.... yeah I dont even know one of them.

LOVE YOU GUYS I REALL HAVE TO GO NOW! clock is ticking!

Até mais rapazes!

Chão 

ELDER CHRISTENSEN

Bodo Date: Mon, 27 Jul 2015 11:42

Hey family,

So this week was pretty awesome. Alot of the same throughout the week but in the end it was awesome to have 3 new investigators and all of them at church! I dont remember if I told you guys but our lead investigator Andre left for João Pessoa for the next 20 days... so we are trying to excite his wife and son about the church so that they will be on the same level when he gets back. So yeah his wife Marcilene went to church and a friend of theirs that they had invited as well. We also managed to bring back an investigator for the grave as well (meaning that he was in the Area book forever) but with this comes a lot of uncertanty of if he really wants to progress in the gospel. Praying for the fact that maybe this time is different but 6 years of knowing the missionaries and only going to church for the 3rd time in his life yesterday is a telling story. So idk. Elder Paiva is pretty great and for sure likes to talk a lot so sometimes people get thrown off and have to ask him If I know Port because he does most of the talking. haha so yeah sometimes its a little anoying to have people say the darnest things before the realize that I can understand them.. BUT yeah idk what else to really say. Our house is good. Everone is going great and the other missionaries in our ward are Baptizing a whole bunch of people because of a wedding they threw for one of there converts a while back. So church is TRUE.

Im stilling trying to work on my weight so I decided that I will only eat one plate of food for lunch instead of the brazilian 3 that is expected of the missionaries. Lets see how long I can last before some Sister from the ward comes at me with a knife trying to force me to eat! haha

Alright well its bout time I be leaving. Faith builder of the week was studing about the 3 Witnesses of the Book of Mormon. All 3 fell out of the church, true. But they all fulfilled their duty to testify of the truthfulness of the Book. Never once denied it. Even 2 of them came back. Read it people. Everyday. Perhaps for the first time even. It will change your life.

Igreja é verdadeira gente!

Com amor,

ELDER CHRISTENSEN